Fire-control apparatus for firing at movable targets



June 10, 1930. A, TEINLE 1,762,800

HERE CONTROL APPARATUS FOR FIRING AT MOVABLE TARGETS Filed Nov. l0, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l i l l 1 l l lll.: .t nu N llllllllxllllllll.. nuuuununwial.

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A. STEINL'` Filed Nov. 1o, 1927 53.3: .L Tfr l FIRE CONTROL APPARATUS FOR FIRING AT MovABLE TARGETs June 10, 1930.

MOMI-TR irl l ATENT ADOLF STEINLE, OF JENA, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO TI-IE FIRM N. V. NEDERLANDSCHE INSTRUMENTEN COMPAGNIE, OF HAAG, NETHERLANDS FIRE-CONTROL APPARATUS FOB FIRING AT MOVABLE TARGETS Application filed November 10, 1927, Serial No. 232,446, and in Germany November 15, 1926.

The present invention relates to a fire control apparatus for tiring at movable targets, which is located apart from the gun. In order to be able to suitably ascertain with a known w position of the` gun and thetargetV` 10 trol apparatus, the fire control apparatus is providedaccording to the invention with a device in which a plane plate fitted withI concentric circles and a mark movable parallel to the plane of this plate, rotatable and radially adjustable, are disposed adj ustably relatively to each other in the direction of the connecting line of the centre of' these circles and of the point of rotation of the mark and which furthermore contains a linear mark, which is disposed rotatable about this centre and a mark, adjustable in the direction of the said connecting line.

The arrangement is suitably made in such a way that the plate with the circles and the marks are subject to a common observation with a magnifier, whereby in a special case the optical observation system may be so constructed that the circles and the marks are distributed over various image planes of this system.

For constructional reasons it is advisable to dispose the linear mark on the plate itself, provided with the circles, so that the linear mark and the plate are jointly rotatable.

In order to simplify the operation of the novel device as much as possible and to always obtain correctly the values to be ascertained, which owiQgtDn-lglnotionnf..tha

provide on the one hand means, adapted to automatically effect the relative displacement of the plate and the rotatable and radially adjustable mark accordingV to the indications of a telenigter, and on the other hand means, adapted to automatically effect the rotation of the rotatable and radially adjustable mark according to themazimuthal TOW.QLQ.?Lglflllg--lYQQQlnallyMshaft l5 is assumed to be so coupled to a adjiisted to the target. Besides, it is advisasighting telescope for pursuing the target ble to use a differential gear in order to add the relative displacement of the plate and of the rotatable and radially adjustable mark in the direction of the above connecting line and the adjustment of the mark, also adjustable in this direction.

In the annexed drawing Fig. 1 is a diagram for illustrating the fundamental idea of the invention. Figs. 2 to 4 illustrate a constructional example of the new device. Fig. 2 is a plan on the intersecting line 2 2 of Fig. 3, Fig. 3 is a cross section through the device, Fig. 4 is a partial section on the intersecting line %t of Fig. 3.

In Fig. l A denotes the fire control apparatus, B the gun and C the target. El denotes the distance of the target C from the fire control apparatus A, and E2 its distance from the gun B, while the distance apart of the fire control apparatus A and the gun B, the base line, is denoted by E0. a, 6 and y are the angles at A, B and C. If an arc of a circle be described with CB about C, it intersects the extension of CA at D, whereby AD=AE :E2-E1. The ascertainment of E2 takes place by means of the new device by determining the value AE and adding it to El, While of the angles y is ascertained, so that, as a is known, the angle 6 sought may be easily computed.

On a base plate 1 there is supported a table-top 2 rotatable about an aXis X-X. The table top carries a bevel wheel-rim 3. On a shaft l, rotatably supported on the base plate 1, is fixed on the one hand a bevel wheel 5, engaging in the bevel wheel-rim 3, and on the other hand a bevel wheel 6, which engages in a bevel wheel 8 fixed on a shaft 7. 0n the shaft 4L is supported loosely rotatable a wheel body 9, containing two bevel wheel-gears 10 and 11. The former, 10, engages in a bevel wheel 12 which may be actuated by means of a milled head 13. The gearing 11 forms the one crown wheel of a dierential gear whose other crown wheel 1A is fixed on a shaft 15. The appertaining planet wheel 16 is supported on an end 17, cranked at right angles, of the shaft 4. The

(for simplicity not shown in the drawing), supported rotatable about a vertical axis, that the table top 2, on the sighting telescope being rotated in azimuth, always undergoes a uniform rotation in the same direction. The position at any one time of the table top 2 relatively to the base plate 1 is indicated by an index 18 of the base plate on a scale 19 of the table top. The latter is used as a carrier of a glass plate 20, which is perpendicular to the axis X-X and on which is traced a circular mark 21. The mount 22 of the glass plate 2O engages by means of two extensions 23 in two screw-spindles 24 and 25 whose axes are on the one hand parallel to the glass plate and on the other hand to the plane determined by the axis X-X and the circular mark 21. The screw-spindle 24 is provided with a right-handed thread, while the screw-spindle 25 has a lefthanded thread. Both spindles are coupled to each other for uniform rotation by means of two pairs of bevel wheels 26 and 27 and a screw-spindle 28. The rotation, which entails a displacement of the glass plate 20, may take place by means of a milled head 29 fixed on the spindle 24. In the screwspindle 28 engages a nut-piece 30, which is straightguided in a slot 32 of the table top 2 with the aid of a pivot 31. An index of the nut-piece 30 indicates on a scale 34 of the table top the distance at any one time of the circular mark 21 from the axis of rotation X-X.

By the base plate 1 there is carried with the aid of four pillars 35 a frame 36. On the latter are rotatably supported two spindles 37 and 38, provided with a left-handed thread and parallel to each other and to the glass plate 20; adjacent to each of these spindles is disposed a guide-shaft 39 and 4() respectively. The spindles 37 and 38 are coupled to one another for uniform rotation in the same direction by means of two pairs of bevel wheels 41 and 42 and a shaft 43 and can be actuated by a milled head 44 whose rot-ations are transmitted to the spindle 38 by a pair of bevel wheels In the thread of each of the two spindles 37 and 38 engages a nut-piece 46 and 47 respectively, which is simultaneously guided along the guide-shaft 39 and 40 respectively, appertaining to the respective spindle. rllhe two nut-pieces 46 and 47 form the carrier of a film-strip 48 which is directly adjacent to the glass plate 29 and carries an arrow-mark 49. The latter has such a position on the film-strip that its point lies in each position of the film-strip on a line parallel to the spindles 37 and 38 through the axis X-X.

On the frame 36 is straight-guided, parallel to the spindles 37 and 38, a sliding carriage 50, which engages by means of two extensions 51 and 52 in two spindles 53 and 54, provided with a right-handed thread and parallel to the spindles 37 and 38. These two spindles are coupled to each other for uniform rotation in the same direction by means of two pairs of bevel wheels 55 and 56 and a shaft 57. On the latter is supported loosely rotatable a wheel body 58, containing two bevel wheel-gears 59 and 60. The former, 59, engages in a bevel wheel 61 which can be actuated by a milled head 62. The gear 60 forms the one crown wheel of a differential gear, whose other crown wheel 63 is fixed on a shaft 64. The appertaining planet-wheel 65 is disposed on the end 66, cranked at right angles, of the shaft 57. The

Shdlns Carme@ 50,@referentie.variations difwtli'e' Vdista cefsfnienasured-` The spindlem54mw l'i'imesma `"beviel wheel representing the one crown wheel of a dierential gear whose other crown wheel is represented by a bevel wheel-gear 68 of a wheel body 69. The latter also contains a spur gear 70 and is disposed loosely rotatable on a shaft7l, rotatably supported on the frame 36. On the end 72, cranked at right angles, of this shaft is disposed the planet Wheel 73 of the differential gear, which has only half the number of teeth as each of the appertaining crown wheels 67 and 68. In the spur gear 70 of the wheel body 69 engages a spur wheel 74, fixed on the spindle 38, whose number of teeth agrees with that of the spur gear 70.

On the sliding carriage 50 there is supported rotatable about an axis Y--Y a glass plate 75, parallel to the glass plate 20; the axis Y--Y is parallel to the axis X-X, whereby the plane, determined by the two axes, is parallel to the spindles 37 and 38. The glass plate 75 is provided with a line 76, directed through the axis of rotation Y-Y, and with a plurality of concentric circles 77 whose centre lies in the axis of rotation Y-Y and which, corresponding to their radii, are numbered according to distances. A grooved shaft 78, parallel to the spindles 37 and 38 and rotatably supported on the frame 36, which shaft is provided with a milled head 79, is used for rotatingthe glass plate 75 about the axis Y Y. For this purpose there is displaceably disposed on the grooved shaft 73 a bevel wheel 80 which is driven by the sliding carriage 50 through a stud 81. This bevel wheel 80 engages in a bevel wheel-gear 82 of a wheel body 83, which is rotatably supported on the sliding carriage 50. A second bevel wheel-gear 84 of this wheel body 83 meshes with a bevel wheel 86, fixed on the mount 85 of the glass plate 75.

A magnifier 87, fixed on the frame 36, is provided to observe the relative position of the various marks 2l, 49, 76 and 77.

The operation of the above described device takes place in the following way.

When the base line-indicating device 33, 34 indicates zero, i. e. when the circular mark 21 coincides with the axis of rotation X--X, it is necessary to bring the sliding carriage 50, by rotating the milled head 62, into that position in which the circular mark 21 is adjusted to that of the concentric circles 77, which corresponds to the momentary distance El (see Fig. 1) of the target C from the lire control apparatus A. Thereupon it is necessary, by rotating the milled head 44, to bring the film-strip 48 into that position in which the point of its arrowmark 49 coincides with the circular mark 21, and, by rotating the milled head 7 9, to bring the glass plate 7 5 into that position in which its line 76 contains the circular mark 21. The observer then sets the indicating device to the base line-value E0 and turns the milled head 13 until the index 18 indicates on the scale 19 the angle a, which at this moment the base line A B embraces with the sighting line, from the ire control apparatus towards the target. After these adjustments it is necessary, owing to the coupling of the shaft 64 to a telemeter for measuring the distance El, with displacements of the measuring device of the telemeter to adjust the sliding carriage 5() and at the saine time the glass plate 7 5, according to the variations corresponding to these displacements of the distance El, and on the other hand, owing to the coupling of the shaft 15 to a sighting device for pursuing the target, with azimuthal displacements of theL same to rotate the circular mark 21 according to these azimuthal displacements about the axis X-X, so that the triangle, determined by the points of intersection of the axes X-X and Y-Y with the glass plate 2O and the circular mark 21, is similar to the resulting sighting triangle ACB in each position of the target C. The observer, looking through the magnifier 87,

, has now, on the one hand, to continuously adjust the glass plate relatively to the sliding carriage 50 in such a way that its line 76 always intersects the circular mark 21 and, on the other hand, to displace, by rotating the milled head 44, the film-strip 48 in such a way that the point of its arrowmark 49 is adjusted to that of the concentric circles 77, which contains the circular mark 21. the angle a and the grooved shaft 78 the angle y, so that by forming the value 180o (Orl-y) the angle 6 to be ascertained is determined by means of a suitable arrangement, while the shaft 71 transfers, owing to the spindles 38 and 54 being coupled to each other, by means of the differential gear 67, 68, 7 3 the value to be ascertained E2=E1 -l- AE.

I claim:

1` In a fire control apparatus for firing at Thereby the shaft 7 transmits-Y movable targets a plane translucent plate provided with concentric circles and a linear mark containing the centre of these circles, means for rotating the said plate about an axis perpendicular to the plate and containing the said centre, a member provided with a single mark, means for rotating this member about an axis'parallel to the said axis and for displacing it in a direction that perpendicularly intersects the axis of rotation of the said member', other means for displacing this member and the said plate relatively to each other in the direction of the intersecting line of the plate with the plane containing the said two axes, another member provided with another single mark, and means for displacing this other member in the said direction, the said plate and the said two members being' disposed one above the other.

2. In a tire control apparatus for firing at movable targets a plane translucentwplate provided with concentric cir/cles and a linear mark containing the centre of these circles, means for rotating the said plate about an axis perpendicular to the plate and containing the said centre, ,a member provided with a single mark, means for rotating this member about an axisparallel to the said axis and for displacing it in a direction that perpendicularly intersects the axis of rotation of the said memberwother means for j automatically displacing Vthe said member n j and vthe said plate relativelyto each other "and,in accordance withrthe umoN-fwan telepgegter, in the direction ofntheiiiiter'seucting esl'ii'fe"ofi'tli'e said plate with the plane containing the said two axes, vanothermemberprovided with another singlenmark, and means for' displacing this other member in the said direction, the said plate and the said two members being disposed one above the other.

3. In a lire control apparatus for ring at movable targets a plane translucent plate provided with concentric circles and a linear mark containing the centre of these circles, means for rotating the said plate about an perpendicular to the plate and containing the said centre, a member provided with a single mark, means for autoinaticallyvrg: thatin@ this member about a totlfie first said axis acpprding the said plate and thev said two members being disposed one above the other.

4;. In a fire control apparatus for `firing at movable targets a plane translucent plate provided with concentric"circles"anda'hii'a mark containing the centre of these circles,

`means for rotating the said plate about an perpendicular to the plate and containmg the said centre, awniember provided with a single mark, means orfrotatingthismemplacingthis member and the said plate rela tivelir to each other in the direction of the intersecting line of the plate with the plane containing the said two axesu'gnotherim'mber `Vprovided With another single mark,

iiieans for displacing this other member in the said direction, and a wdifferentia'l adapted toadd the `displadement oft' other member and the relativedisplacemeiit of the first said member and `of thesaidplat@V the said plate and the said two members being disposed one above the other.

ADOLF STEINLE. 

